E-Learning-Inclusivo (Mashup)

Summary from Academica Top Ten - Thursday, October 8, 2015

"MOOCs are ideal for filling knowledge gaps

While many people might argue about whether MOOCs will ever provide a successful alternative to traditional university education, MOOCs can without doubt serve as a valuable supplement to this education, writes a contributor forInside Higher Ed. When some students enrol in graduate school, for example, they might need to draw on information they encountered in their first year of undergraduate studies and thus have difficulty remembering. The author argues that in this type of situation, the accessible and unintimidating qualities of MOOCs make them an ideal and cost-effective way of filling in knowledge gaps that do not require enrolment in a traditional university course. The author concludes that perusing MOOC offerings might have the added benefit of “inspir[ing] you to learn about something you’ve never considered.”"

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A report contends that business schools shunning MOOCs may miss opportunities to tap more minorities and international students

 

The following summary is from Academica Top Ten, 5 June 2014

MOOCs help business schools reach sought-after student demographics

A new report in the Harvard Business Review says that rather than "cannibalizing" business school enrolment, MOOCs offer an opportunity to attract new student demographics. The study of over 875,000 students in 9 MOOCs offered by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania found that MOOCs successfully reached three highly sought-after demographic groups: international students, foreign-born Americans, and underrepresented minorities. According to survey data, 78% of students who registered for an online business course came from outside the US, compared with 45% in full-time, 2-year MBA programs. 35% of students enrolled in the Wharton MOOCs identified themselves as foreign-born Americans, of whom 54% already had a graduate or professional degree. 19% of the students came from underrepresented minorities, compared to 11% in traditional MBA programs at 9 top US schools. However, the MOOCs fell short in attracting female students. Only 32% of MOOC attendees were female, compared with 40% of applicants to MBA programs.Harvard Business Review | Businessweek | Inside Higher Ed

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By Jonah Newman and Soo OhJune 13, 2014

"Before Harvard and MIT released data last month on their first 16 edX MOOCs, we already knew a few things: Millions of people register for massive open online courses, though far fewer receive certificates of completion. Most MOOC participants already have a college degree, even those outside the United States. But there was a lot we didn’t know, especially about who took different types of MOOCs and how much of the course content they viewed. This information may be valuable to those looking to design and lead successful MOOCs. Here’s what we’ve learned from this first data release covering more than half a million students."

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